Referral for Initial Evaluation

• Academic and behavioral interventions should be documented in the Response to Intervention/Personal Graduation Plan (RtI/PGP) Chancery Student Managment System (SMS) platform.
• Current academic achievement data, attendance, and vision/hearing screening results should be obtained from the Chancery SMS H_Student_Status_Report.
• The IAT should complete the Referral for Disability Evaluation Form for all referrals for Special Education evaluation.
• Throughout the tiered levels of general education support, general education teachers and Instructional Assistance Teams (IAT) will document student specific academic and behavioral interventions in the Chancery SMS RtI/PGP platform.
• Once a decision has been made to refer a student or non-enrolled child for a special education evaluation the one page Referral for Disability Evaluation Form should be completed and signed by members of the IAT.
• Students suspected of having a specific learning disability (SLD), an emotional disturbance (ED), or a language based speech impairment (SI) should have a completed RtI/PGP Chancery SMS Intervention documentation prior to referral consideration by the IAT.
• Those children suspected of having developmental disabilities, should not be a part of the full RtI process. The H_Student_Status_Report is still necessary component of the referral for special education evaluation.
• Once the RtI/PGP Report, H_Student_Status Report, and Referral for Disability Evaluation Form is completed, the IATchairperson will then schedule a time to meet with the parent and explain the need for a referral for special education evaluation.

The IAT chairperson will provide the parent with the following as part of an initial referral (including Section 504 referrals):

• Copy of the Procedural Safeguards and Guide to ARD Process (for special education referrals) and Notice of Rights for Section 504 (for Section 504 referrals)
• Notice of Evaluation or Notice of Decision Not to Test (should the IAT determine the parent referral is not appropriate) within 10 school days of parent request
• If Notice of Evaluation is sent: Consent for evaluation (Excluding behaviorally-based referrals, in these cases the campus assigned LSSP should obtain consent once all other referral information has been collected)
• If Notice of Evaluation is sent: Sociological parent survey

The IAT chairperson will also obtain the following as part of an initial referral (Including Section 504 referrals):

1. Parent(s) signature confirming receipt of Procedural safeguards
2. Completed sociological parent survey
3. Signed parental consent for special education evaluation (Excluding behaviorally-based referrals, in these cases the campus assigned LSSP should obtain consent once all other referral information has been collected)
4. RtI/PGP Report
5. H_Student_Status_Report
6. Referral for Disability Evaluation Form
7. Language Rating Scale
8. Behavior Rating Scale

Sources for Initial Evaluation Referrals for Non-enrolled Children:

• ‍For students in pre-kindergarten through grade 12, the referral source (i.e. parent, teacher, etc.) contacts the Intervention Assistance Team chairperson for information necessary to initiate the referral.
• For students referred for the Preschool Program for Children with Disabilities (PPCD), the referral source (i.e. parent, teacher etc. should contact the campus chair person to consider the referral. The IAT should consider all requests for referral and either agree to facilitate the referral or chose to formall refuse the referral. If the decision is to refer the student for an evaluation, the school staff logs the referral in Chancery SMS and gives the information to the evaluation specialist or speech therapist. Most evaluations can be conducted at the campus level with appropriate personnel assigned to the respective schools. Referrals that indicate a need for an evaluation by multiple disciplines should be reviewed by the special education senior manager and then forwarded to the Intake Center at the Child Study Division for evaluation.
• For students presently attending a private school, the referral source should contact the Child Study Division of the Office of Special Education Services.
• For a child admitted to a hospital setting and in need of special education services, the referral source is a staff member designated by the hospital who has collected the data as part of the hospital's intake process or by the HISD Community Services staff. The information is forwarded to the HISD Community Service office and is effective only during the student's hospital stay.
• For a student requiring continued special education after dismissal from the hospital setting, an HISD staff member (hospital teacher or Community Services staff member) collects the information and forwards it to the appropriate campus, unless the student was receiving special education prior to hospitalization.
• For a homebound student requiring services at home or in an alternative setting, at least one member of the IAT completes the referral information and forwards it to Community Services. Such a student should not be withdrawn from the campus as the student‘s enrollment continues at the campus of attendance during the provision of homebound services. In addition, the "Report of Physical Examination"(Medical) is completed by the physician and forwarded to Community Services.
• For a student entering HISD during the summer or being referred for the first time on a day when schools are not in session, the referral source contacts the home campus.

• Dear Colleague Letter - Preventing Racial Discrimination in Special Education
• Fact Sheet Preventing Racial Discrimination in Special Education